Fatty liver physical symptoms

Hi all

Does anyone have physical symptoms with fatty liver that you’d tend to think indicated a more serious issue (at least according to all the online sites…). I have some RUQ pain and neck/shoulder pain, plus reddish palms/toes and broken spider veins (though not spider angioma) on rib cage and chest. My US showed a mild fatty liver, and this was supported by a Fibroscan a few days ago (CAP252, KPA 4.2). LFTs all in range.

It feels like the physical symptoms don’t quite match the findings, so I’m wondering if it’s possible that a slightly fatty liver can also have some of the symptoms more commonly associated with fibrosis/cirrhosis, or if the liver might not be the cause of some of them.

Also, if anyone has had the red palms/vein issues have they faded with time/reducing liver fat?

[MalikN]

hi.i have same physical symptoms and the ultrasound shows mild fatty liver plus have done fibroscan too and that shows that same.i have spider veins on my chest and few on my calf.RUQ pain that radiates to shoulder and neck.my blood work comes within normal range.i also sometimes get easily bruised.The different websites indicates these physical symptoms as more serious liver problem but my gp doesn't find it important.

[ThyroidDeb in reply to MalikN]

I have never had any known symptoms. However, on my first exam from Hepatologist he did look for veins on my chest and looked at my palms but nowhere else. At first I had no idea what he was looking for!! My fibroscan read 17.2 kpa and 400 cap, f4 probable cirrhosis but all test showed something different so I ended up having a biopsy which showed Stage 1 and mild fatty liver, no cirrhosis. I have some small broken veins on my legs, my mothers legs were cover with broken veins but no liver problems, so i don't think leg veins are too worrisome, of course I'm no doctor. They told my mother her veins were most likely from being on her feet for years, she was a school teacher and never sat down. Keep us posted and good luck.

[Hidden in reply to ThyroidDeb]

ah, well almost the opposite then in that I seem to have symptoms but clear tests. I’ve heard Fibroscan can in some cases over-estimate, so I’m guessing there was something for you that caused that to happen. But glad it’s all fairly moderate for you!

[MalikN in reply to ThyroidDeb]

what did your doctor suggested you for stage 1.and did he tell the cause of it?

[ThyroidDeb in reply to MalikN]

My hepotoligist told me to stop my daily vitamin, then for 3 months take vitamin E 400 mg, stop and start daily vitamin again. Also daily vitamin C 200-1000 mg I take 500 mg, for rest of life. However talk with doctor about C because if you have an iron problem they might not want you to take it. Reason about E is it is not soluable so can build up where C is soluable and leaves your body. These vitamins are used for healing scars on the outside of the body so it might help inside your body. Some studies say yes some aren't sure. Keep diet up, I use a diabetic diet, and daily exercise I ride a stationary bike and walk. I go for ultrasound and blood test once a year with him but I have blood done every 3 months with primary and she checks liver enzymes along with rest of regular test. That's it! He said I should be able to reverse it all if I keep up the work. So different than the gastroligist. He was willing to settle for f4 cirrhosis result from fibroscan and didn't believe in reversal, so glad I got 2nd opinion...I didn't ask about cause, I was told by GI it was my diet. Since tho, I have wondered because I did go through a couple years prior, of leg pain and used a lot of tylenol xtra strength. I didn't take over the daily amount but I took it way beyond the recommended days in addition with Motrin 800. I will ask him in April when I see him. GI didn't think it had anything to do with it but I have read it can. Anymore questions let me know..good luck.

[Hidden in reply to MalikN]

Thanks - interesting to hear. I wonder if some people are more sensitive to certain changes, or if there’s an additional factor at play. Have your symptoms evolved over the time you’ve had them? How long has it been? I’ve only really been feeling a bit off for a couple of months, so I’m partly hoping it might settle down before too long and if I reduce the fatty liver (albeit it’s fairly mild according to the Fibroscan).

[utep99]

I had no idea until diagnosed and then no symptoms.

[Hidden in reply to utep99]

That does seem to be the most common approach, but perhaps isn’t quite the same for all?

[Kettl]

Yes, I was exactly the same as you it drove me nuts. Can’t remember fibroscan score but it was around 4.5. Still have the spider veins around under the ribs and chest. I haven’t had a drink for 500 days and am generally eating much better, lots of walking. Lost 20kg. No longer get right sided rib pain or shoulder pain. If you want to message or look me up you will see my journey and my absolute anxiety over these signs. Trust in the scans. It’s more likely that fibroscan would over estimate than under estimate. I do get a few other weird things that I’m getting checked and g.p looking into CREST. Syndrome.

[Hidden in reply to Kettl]

thanks - interesting to read. The body is clearly a strange thing that responds in different ways for different people. I am trusting the scan and wondering whether there might be some other issues (and sort of hoping some of it largely resolved over time as much as anything). I’m going to go back to the GP once the formal Fibroscan report comes through. Have your veins faded over time? I sort of wonder if mine have become more noticeable through losing weight, and if I regained some then actually they might ease off a bit.

[Kettl in reply to Hidden]

veins are still as visible. I have had some layered via vascular laser and they have gone.

[andrewax2]

I’d definitely check with your doctor and ask to run other tests, but I had a lot of symptoms at one point that I thought it was extremely advanced liver disease. I only had mild fatty liver with a high steatosis (0.70 something…) I don’t know why my body overreacted the way that it did, but I’m glad it did. It not only gave me an advanced warning, but it scared me to the point I made extreme life changes. I’ve lost around 50lbs and rarely feel the RUQ pain anymore. Definitely have the doctors continue to check all options, but don’t stress since the mind is a powerful thing and you’ll make yourself sicker by stressing out. Use it as a motivator to make positive life changes and heal your body.

[Hidden in reply to andrewax2]

Thanks - I definitely agree on the stress part. Before the Fibroscan I was sleeping really poorly (a symptom of liver disease), but once the results came back as fairly ok I slept much more like normal, so clear a psychological effect!

I do wonder if my issues might not be fully liver related but actually something hormonal/metabolic/gastric- will hopefully get some more tests to find out.

Glad you’re feeling much better.